KARACHI: Former Sindh home minister and disowned leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party Dr Zulfikar Mirza on Monday challenged his trial under the anti-terror law and sought transfer of three cases registered against him and his associates to a regular court.

Dr Mirza, who is facing multiple cases in Karachi and Badin, along with his dozens of associates and supporters, was initially booked in three cases on May 3 under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 for allegedly storming the Badin police station, abusing the police officials present there, forcing people to shut down their businesses in the district, trying to kill two shopkeepers and robbing their shops.

Know more: Zulfiqar Mirza booked in another case on Sindh IG's orders

The former minister through his counsel moved applications in an antiterrorism court under Section 23 (power to transfer cases to regular courts) of the ATA contending that the offences did not fall within the ambit of the Act. Therefore, he pleaded, the cases be transferred to a sessions court for trial.

Judge Bashir Ahmed Khoso of the ATC-I issued a notice to the special public prosecutor for May 19.

Dr Mirza and his 47 associates are on interim pre-arrest bail in the three cases till May 19 (today), when they are required to appear in court for the confirmation or otherwise of their bail. Six other suspects nominated in the cases are in police custody on physical remand.

The Sindh High Court had earlier transferred these cases from the Hyderabad ATC to a Karachi ATC after the trial judge expressed his inability to proceed with the cases.

SHC grants bail in new case

Dr Mirza was on Monday given protective bail in another case registered by the Darakhshan police.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto gave Dr Mirza bail in a sum of Rs100,000 till Wednesday directing him to approach the relevant court for further legal remedy.

Besides, the bench also issued a notice to the respondent provincial authorities on Dr Mirza’s application stating that he and his associates had so far been implicated in 13 different cases.

Dr Mirza claimed that he was being politically victimised and prayed to court to direct the authorities concerned not to implicate him and his associates in false cases.

Published in Dawn, May 19th, 2015

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